Polymer Solutions for Lubricant Efficiency
Afton’s Polymer Solutions for Lubricant Efficiency - Helping Formulators Keep Pace With Industry Innovation
The quest for efficiency in every aspect of our lives has driven powerful industrial innovations. Automotive design, manufacturing equipment, power production and everything in between runs smaller—consuming less fuel and producing less waste. Some of these innovations are highly visible as we go about our everyday lives, and some work behind the scenes, known only to a select few.Take, for instance, lubricants. Formulators are constantly re-engineering their technology to keep up with the latest advancements in technology—meaning what was regarded as state-of-the-art five years ago may now be considered outdated. New designs in automotive, on and off-road commercial vehicles and industrial equipment have given rise to advances in base oils, additives and polymers. These developments have dramatically enhanced performance in areas critical for smooth vehicle operation.
The potential combinations of base oils, additives and polymers today are virtually infinite—so where does a formulator begin?
Let’s start with viscosity. Many engineers are calling for lower kinematic viscosities to minimize losses due to churning. The thought is that if it works at 6 cSt, it could be optimized to work at 5 cSt, or if it works as a SAE 75W-90, it can be refined to work as a SAE 75W-85. Base oil, additive and polymer selection is determined by their ability to overcome the challenges brought by such demands. But with any reformulation, lubricant film strength, shear stability, low temperature properties, wear protection, frictional characteristics and many other parameters must be balanced and addressed. Therefore, formulators need a large tool box to successfully deliver lubricant solutions at the rapid pace of innovation.
Driven by Insight
Afton’s polymer and viscometric expertise has resulted from many years of application testing and optimization. Our polymer design team has access to the latest testing facilities that recreate real-world environments for a broad array of applications. By combining best-in-class testing with the latest base oils, additives and polymers we are able to drive lubricant innovation and exceed the latest benchmarks for efficiency.
See how Afton puts polymers to work for improved lubricant performance and learn more about the Afton’s Powerful Polymer Portfolio here.